Fire-alarm system.



J. McFELL.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 5. 1914.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

fBE,

JUDSON MCFELL, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FIRE-ALARM SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

Application filed November 5, 1914. Serial No. 870,396.

To all wim/m, t may concern.'

Be it known that l, JUDsoN MCFELL, a citizen of the United States, residing atl Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Alarm Systems, cf which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fire alarm systems.

@ne of the objects is to provide a system divided, as to its equipment of central station, signaling station, and alarm apparatus, into a plurality of sections, each of which may be substantially a separate unit as far as the performance of some of its functions is concerned, but which may be made mutually interdependent so that operations in one section may affect the other, in the performance of other functions. Such sectional arrangement, of course, may be variably used, as for example, conveniently to divide a protected areaY into districts; or

to take care of separate floors of a building;y

or buildings of a group.

Another object of my invention is to provide a system for audible alarm actuation, and to provide controlling means for the audible alarm devices including a master-` transmitter, so that the audible alarm gongs or other devices in any selected ones, or all, of the several sections'may all be operated from the master-transmitter. rlfhis is par` ticularly desirable in factory equipment or the like so that fire-drill alarms may be given in one or more sectiens as desired.`

Other objects of my invention are to provide a simple and efficient system which may be cheaply installed and economically maintained under either private or municipal control, so that a system embodying my in-y vention is suitable for installation in towns, or in manufacturing plants, warehouses, docks, and other privately owned plants for local alarm purposes.

1n the drawing wherein l have illustrated diagrammatically an embodiment of my invention A, B and C represent, generally, sections of a system. The devices associated with section A, it will be understood, are duplicated in sections B and C, parts in sections B and C corresponding with parts of section A being designated by likenumerals, distinguished by the exponent ZJ or 0. In sections B and C however, for purposes of clear-ness, yonly sufficient of the parts and connections are shown to indicate the mw 7 tual inter-relation of the several sections, the remaining parts and connections being eliminated to avoid needless intricacy.

Except for the provision and arrangement of the audible alarm gongs the action of my system purely local to any one section is substantially the same as in a system disclosed in one of my prior applications; that is to say the transmitter boX construction and wiring, and the association of the transmitter boxes of each section in a constant-test circuit with a high resistance test magnet local to that section, are herein shown as substantially the same as in the system illustrated in my copending application Serial No. 808,070 filed December 22, 1918.

Referring to section A, 10-10 'indicates transmitters, each preferably of the manually wound type. 11 indicates the winding handle for winding the motor that drives the toothed signal wheel 12. 13 indicates in general the signal switch, preferably comprising a doubled'pen 14 and two coacting normally-open pens 1'5 and 16, so that the box is of a normally-open-circuit type, as far as its signaling operation is concerned, the wheel-teeth serving to close switch 13 in passage past pen 14. 1t is my preference, however that each of the pens shall be included in series' in a normally closed test circuit so that the switch elements, as well'as the wiring, is under constant test. To this end, the doubled pen 1li is connected in one wire of the test circuit and the other wire of the testcircuit is connected in series through the two pens 15 and 16 and also through a switch 17 that is Y normally closed, when the boX is idle, by a projection ofV the winding handle 11 and that opensto break the test-circuit when the handle 11, is moved to wind the transmitter.

(A special form of transmitter boXadvantageously embodying these structural features is shown in my copending application, Serial No. 857 ,447 filed August 19th, 1914i.)

Each section of the system has battery wires 20 and 23 (connectible to a common battery for all of the sections by wiring that will hereafter be described) and that are connected through the transmitters to a high resistance test magnetpreferably in the same arrangement thatl is disclosed in my copending application, lSerial No. 808,070. Vire 20 runs from the switch board to box 10, through the doubled pen 14 thereof, by wire 20 to the pen 14C of the next box 10, and so on to all the boxes of the section, returning from the last box by wire to the switch board, and then through a normally closed spring switch 21 to a high resistance test magnet 22'. The remaining terminal of the test magnet 22 has connection with the other battery wire 23 via wire 23 running from the switch- -board to switch-pen 16 of box 10'; through Y assuming current to be supplied to the bat? vcircuit will work.

tery wires 20, 23, it will be observed that a normally closed test circuit-20, 14, 20', .2o/f, 2i, 22, 23, 1e, i7, 15, 23', 23 is pro.- vided, including the high resistance test magnet 22, the resistance of this being so high that as'lOng as it is in circuit none of the other electro-responsive devices of the that whenever a transmitter box is pulled it operates iirst to break the normally closed test circuit at the switch 17 and then as each` wheel tooth closes switch 13,` to close at switch 13 the circuit between the wires 20 and 23 cutting out the test'- (Circuit: 20, 14, 15, 16, 23, for instance.)

Except for the provision of the alarm bells 24 the circuit arrangement thus far described is in accordance with the system disclosed in my priorl applicatiom and the similarity is preferably followed farther in that switches27 and 28 are provided, to stand in normally open position, and when closed, respectively to connect the return 1 ends 20 and 23" of the't'wo'wires with theirv respective outgoing or battery ends 20 and Thus, switch v27' is connecteddirectly between wire 20" and a wire 27 that runs to the battery wire 20, while switch'28 is connectedv with'wire'23 and by wire 28 with [the'wire 23, preferably between the box 1Qv and the alarm bells 24. lThe desirability of thus looping, uponjoccasion, the

return endof each wire to the outgoing or battery end of the wire is principallyy for the establishment Vof an emergency signal circuit in the event of rupture of either line wire, in fashion fully described in my said prior application. As far asthe present inventionA is concerned it is an incident that maybe included or omitted.'

As in my prior application aforesaid, the

armature 22;- of the high resistance magnet 22; controls the normally-closed switch 21 lto open the latter when they armature is dropped, and it also-controls Ya switch. 30 governing a local-"(t`estfbell or annunciay tor 30 Also it will be clearl preferably mounted on a switch board.

I prefer that the battery wires 20 and 23 for all sections be energized from a common battery; that the local test bells 30 for the several sections be energized by another battery, and that the two batteries thus utilized be interchangeable, so that either may be employed for the major service of energizing the test circuit, while the other is held in reserve utilized only in connection with the test bells 30', during which time it may be undergoing recharging, if storage batteries are used. In the particular construction shown 31-31 indicate two batteries, connected in common to a wire 32, having run therefrom a series of branches 33, each of which includes a magnet 34 and thence extends by wire 35 to a normallyclosed knife switch-blade 36 making connection between said wire 35 and the wire 20. The other terminals of the two batteries are connected by wires 37 and 37 respectively to diagonally connected poles of a double throw switch 38, so that in one switch position battery 31 is connected to Vthe right hand blade of the switch, and battery 31 to the left hand blade, while in the other position of the switch, reverse conditions apply. The right hand switch blade is connected by wire 39 to register 39 and thence in multiple through wires 40 to switch blades 36', each of which when closed connects with the wire 23 of its respective section. The left hand blade of switch 38 has connection by wire 42 in multiple to the wires 43 that connect with the test bells 30, connections extending thence from each test bell by wire 44 to its switch 30and thence to a wire 45 that has multiple connections to all of the switches 30, 301, etc., land that has a connection by wire 46 back to the wire 32.

Each magnet 34 is the magnetic element of a relay which, when energized, will establish alarm-bell-ringing circuits for all of the other sectionsof the system. Each magnet 34 has its armature arranged when attracted to move a spring contact 48, said spring contacts 4S, 4S, etc., being connected by wires 49, 49D, etc., to a common wire 5() that is connected to battery wire 32. When such armature is attracted to move its spring 48 said spring is thrown into connection with'suitable contacts that are respectively connected with the alarm bells 24 of their respective circuits and through them with the other side of the battery. Thus, it being remembered that wire 23, connected to the switch 28, has normal connection, through the transmitter switches 17, with gongs 24, I preferably connect with said wire 23 a wire 51' branching at point 52 into a suitable plurality of branches 53, the several branches leading to the appropriate contacts of the springs 48 associated with the relay-magnets 34 of all other sections.' This arrangement may, however, be varied, as shown in sections B and C, by connecting wire 51 with wire 28' that is a direct continuation of wire 23X, thus making the combination independent of transmitter switches 17.

For operating the alarm bells `24 of any desired number of the sections, other than by the initiation from a regular alarm box, I may provide upon the central switch board or at any point for control by those in authority, a master box 60, preferably having interchangeable signal wheels or otherwise adapted for the transmission of any desired signal at the will of the operator,v

and by its switch mechanism controlling all the gong-circuits. In the construction shown box 60 has two switches 61 and 62, the switch 61 being bridged by wires 63, 63' between wires 35 and 40 for one section and the switch 62 bridged between wire 23", for the same section, and battery wire 32, by connections 65 and 64.

In the operation of my system, it will be understood that current from batteries 31 (with switch 38 in its position illustrated) normally fiows via wires 32, 33, relay magnet 34, 35, switch 36, 20, along from box 10' to 10 by wire 20', return wire 20", switch 21, high resistance test magnet 22, return wire 23", through the boxes 10'-1O `by wires v 23', to wire 23, thence in series through the alarm gongs 24 via the connection 23X-23 returning to switch blade 36' and by wires 40, 39, switch 38 and wire 37 to the battery 31. vWhen any transmitter box, as 10, is pulled, it breaks the test circuit thus described, causing cessation of current iiow in magnet 22 which thereupon drops its armature 22', opening switch 21 and closing test bell switch 30. Also, upon the passage of each tooth of the signaling wheels 12 past the pen 14 of switch 13, the several pens of said switch are closed together, establishing a low resistance circuit that excludes the magnet 22 but includes the relay magnet 34, as follows: 31, 32, 33, relay magnet 34, 35, 36, 20, to switch pen 14 of box 10', thence via 20' to switch pen 14 of box 10, through closed pens 14-15 to wire 23, gongs 24, to switch blade 36', Wires 40, 39, switch 38, wire 37, battery 31. VThe current that flows through relay magnet 34 and gongs 24 under normal conditions, when the test magnet 22 is included in circuit, is insufficient to energize the magnet 34 or gongs 24 effectively, but when the low resistance circuit last above describedis closed, magnet 34 and gongs 24 receive current enough to energize them during the passage of each tooth of the signaling wheel 12 past its signaling switch 13. Thus, for every tooth on the wheel 12, the closure of the circuit aforementioned rings the gongs 24 directly in the affected section, and also energizes magnet 34 appurtenant to that section. Each attraction of the armature of relay magnet 34 closes the spring 48 against its adjacent contacts thereby closing the gong circuit for each of the remaining sections. In section B, as shown, the circuit runs: 31, 32, 50, 49, 48, 53, 52, 51", 28'1, 23X, gongs 24h, 36", 39, 38, 37, 31. In a section wired as is section A the circuit is the same save that between 51 and 23X it runs via l23", transmitter-switches 17 and connections 23' to wire 23X. Thus throughout all of the sections the gongs are rung upon the trans mission of the signal from any section. In relation to the wiring shown in section 1, it will be noted that should a transmitter in section A be operated it will cause its own signal to be rung on the gongs local to that section because opening of transmitter switch 17 will prevent closure of the gongcircuit except at such moments as the switch 13 is closed.

If it is desired that at any one or more sections the gong should not be rung, switch 36-36' is opened, disabling that section'only of the system. If it is desired, as for purposes of fire drill or the like, to send a signal through all of the gongs of the area protected, master box 60 may be operated establishing each time its switches are closed, a circuit for the gongs of section A and a circuit for magnet 34 of section A. These circuits may be traced as follows: gong circuit, 31, 64, 62, 65, 23", 17, 23' 23X, 23, 36', 40, 39, es, 37, si; relay circuit, e1, e2, se, relay-magnet 34, 35, 63, 62, 61, 63', 40, 39, 38, 37, 31. The iirst mentioned circuit causes the gongs of section A to be rung; the other circuit operates relay magnet 34 to ring the gongs of the remaining sections.

It will be observed with respect to the signaling operations that whenever a magnet 22 drops its armature 22' for any cause, closing the switch 30, a circuit energized by battery 31' is established through bell 30' as follows: 31', 32, 46, 45, 29, 44, 30, 43, 42, left hand blade of 38, 37', 31', so that the local test alarm 30 will begin to ring and continue to ring until the switch 29 is open by restoration of the magnet armature 22 to attracted position. When switch 38 is thrown down to its opposite position, the operation is not changed but the battery 31 is thrown into test-circuit service while bat tery 31 serves the test bells 30, all other con-- ditions remaining unchanged.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a fire alarm signaling system, the combination `of an energized main circuit divided into a plurality of normally-closed parallel branches, each branch circuit including a plurality of transmitters, suitable alarm devices, and a high-resistance reducing the current kto prevent operation of the otherdevices, a relay in each branch circuit and',`connections controlled by said relay for closing energized low-resistance circuits for the alarm devices of the other branches.

2. In a ire'alarrn signal system, the combination of any energized main circuit divided into aplurality of system-sections, each section including a plurality of transmitters, a plurality of alarm devices and a high resistance test-magnet normally preventing operation of the alarm devices, said alarm devices being located in the circuit, beyond said transmitters, and said transmitters arranged, when operated, to short circuit the connections for the high resistance magnet thereby to operate the alarm devices and, for each section, a'relay, and relay controlled connections for establishing, for all of the other sections, circuits including their alarm devices and excluding their high resistance magnets. c

3.- In a system of the character described the combination of a plurality of sectional circuits, normally closed under test, each including the normally-closed line-switches of a plurality of transmitters, and switches arranged to be opened when their transmitters are operated, suitable alarm devices in a loop of said circuit beyond said transmitters, and a high resistance magnet having connections arranged to be short circuited by the closure of the signaling switch of any transmitter, a common battery for said sectional circuits, and, in each said sectional circuit a relay controlling energized circuit connections for the alarm devices of all other sections, said circuit, for one of said sections, including the normally closed transmitter switches of said sections.

4. In a system of the character described, the combination of a main circuit divided into a plurality of branches, each normally closed for test and including alarm devices, and a high resistance device; a plurality of transmitters having line switches included in the test circuit and signaling switches arranged, when closed, to short circuit the con nections for the high resistance device, and a master transmitter, at the central station, controlling circuit closing means for the alarm devices of all of said sections;

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JUDSON MCFELL. In the presence of- STANLEY W. CooK, MARY F. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, I). C. 

